§ 9. Mr. MATHERSasked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether his attention has been called to the decision of the Edinburgh Town Council to exclude the Press from meetings of the committees of the council which will shortly take the place of the education authority and parish council, whose regular meetings have hitherto been open to the public and reported in the Press; whether such exclusion has his approval; and whether he will take steps to secure to the ratepayers the public reporting of the doings of their elected representatives?
Mr. W. ADAMSONI am aware that the Edinburgh Corporation have resolved that representatives of the Press should not be admitted to meetings of their committees. I am considering whether a provision requiring the admission of the Press and public to meetings of committees should not be added to all the schemes of administration which have been submitted for my approval by local authorities.
§ Mr. MACQUISTENIs this some new development of the bureaucracy to keep out the Press; and are not the public entitled to know what is going on?
§ Mr. ERNEST BROWNIs it not a fact that all matters of policy will come before the full council with the Press representatives present?
Mr. ADAMSONThe point is that these committees are dealing with functions which were formerly dealt with by independent authorities such as education authorities.
§ Mr. MACQUISTENIs it not the case that the Press used to get the information, or used to be represented at the meetings under the old system, and that under the new system, through some sort of oversight, power has been given to exclude them?